Not much of a princess
by Posie Jones
Summary: Rei Ibara, a spinoff of the earlier character Wasei Hao from "Pet"  just experimenting with the character , isn't much of a princess at all. In love with books and exploring, rather than her arranged fiance Godua.. Enter Kisame.


Rei lay in the middle of the forest, arms crossed behind her head, thinking. Her miniature body was lazily sprawled over the forest's underbrush, and she could feel the imprints of sticks and leaves pressing into her back like stamps. She was completely at peace, which rarely happened. Her sea green eyes fell shut, and she breathed in, her flat chest inflating and deflating in a steady rhythm. She wondered how much longer it would take for her parents to find her out here. She would guess not too much longer, since her dumb excuse for a fiancé had ratted out her favorite hiding place. God being a princess was hard.

Although, at first sight, one would never guess she descended from royalty. Soft, ghostly pale skin, a shock of wild, curly black hair, cut short in a boy's cut (she had done it herself, she liked it fine, although her parents had looked as if they were about to strangle her), and a tiny, flat physique that bared striking similarity to a small twelve year old. Her seventeenth birthday had come and passed, and, oh so lovingly, her parents had arranged a marriage with the obnoxious son of the Earth country's other high household. The ever glorious Godua, world's most self-important, narcissistic, boy-wonder. She groaned, feeling ill just thinking about him. She could kill someone whenever she was forced to spend time with him, it was like pulling teeth. Just a few hours ago he had come on to her, claiming that she was his 'future wife, and she should care for her man in any way _he _so pleased!'

She had punched him in the gut and run from the room, ending up here, in the middle of the forest. She had to admit, this was the only place where she wasn't expected to put on airs, or remained poised. She pulled a leaf from the wild black curls, smiling. What she wouldn't give to live here.. Just living in the forest and reading books all day, which was one of two things she like doing, the other exploring. That's how she had come across this place, after all. She crossed her feet, sighing. Maybe she should get a tattoo next… Her white dress billowed out around her, distressed slightly from the light breeze. She rolled the sleeves up, pushing them up to her elbows. She never liked this dress, and it made her heart warm to see it dirtied by the forest. She laughed, imagining her parents faces when they saw her. They would be furious that she had assaulted her future husband, and horrified at her appearance, heaven forbid she look _pedestrian_, but what would _really_ make her laugh was the fact that they would give her a 'final warning'. This would be at least the thousandth 'final warning' she had received. She shook her head, smiling. When would they realize that she wasn't princess material? For goodness sakes, she ran around in boys clothes whenever she wasn't required to appear in public!

She froze, suddenly hearing footsteps in the thicket across from her. Rei sat quickly, watching the bushes curiously, wondering what could be big enough to make such thundering footsteps-

Rei sat forward at the appearing man, mesmerized. Gigantic and blue, he stood before her, looking down at her oddly. She felt herself smile. He had _gills_. And he was _blue_. His navy hair stood up in a wave, a Mist country headband just beneath it, a long slash through the metal piece. She stared, seeing huge muscles standing out from beneath his clothing. His shoulders were as wide as a doorway, covered by a long black robe decorated with red clouds. Rei watched in fascination as he looked down at the tiny thing, wondering what on earth she was doing here. She tore her eyes from him, seeing an enormous sword strapped to his back, covered in bandages. _Here_ was someone who was interesting. She stood, stepping toward him, eyes resting on his face. Looking through the gills and the blue color of his skin, she realized with undivided interest that he was actually- handsome. She felt her cheeks turn a light shade of pink, and she smiled, liking him already. "Who are you?" She asked simply, pushing up a falling, rolled sleeve of her short dress.

Kisame felt himself grinning, amazed at what he'd found. A beautiful little thing, completely unafraid. Standing before him was a small, white apparition, with a short black head of hair that he wanted to run his hands through. She looked up at him with clear green eyes, inviting him to speak. "Kisame." He said, and Rei smiled. "I'm Rei Ibara, I'm so glad I'm meeting you."

Kisame laughed once, kneeling to her height of four feet, eleven (and a half, Rei had measured dutifully) inches. "And why would you be glad you met me?" He asked smoothly, watching with satisfaction as her cheeks lit up as he got closer to her.

Rei's face lit up, and she smiled blindingly. "I've never been interested in anyone before._ You're_ interesting." She watched Kisame grin, sitting back opposite her.

"Interesting, huh?" He asked, watching her sit Indian style in front of him, completely disregarding the fact that she was wearing a dress, let alone that she was sitting alone in the woods with a strange man twice her size. He inwardly smiled, shaking his head. She was something, alright.

Rei smiled sheepishly. "First word that came to mind."

Kisame laughed deeply, crossing his arms. "I see. Who are _you_?" He found that he liked this girl, not just because she didn't cringe at or fear his appearance, she was, in her own words, 'interesting', and he wondered where on earth she had come from, it was as if she had popped up out of the ground in the middle of his path. Currently, he was heading back from an exhausting mission, wanting nothing more than to sit in his bed in the Akatsuki lair, but now he wasn't so sure. He wondered if he took this flower from her patch, would she wilt?

"Oh, I'm a princess. I'm from the Ibara household."

His face fell. Definitely wilt.

"A princess?" He had no idea, he never would have gathered it from, well, _her_ in general. He looked at her now, childishly beautiful, slightly disheveled from laying in the middle of the forest for who knows how long, and wondered how on earth someone like that could ever be a princess.

Rei laughed again, her cheeks lighting up. "I know, it doesn't fit me, does it?"

Kisame smirked, shaking his head. "You could say."

Rei snorted, tousling her hair. "And don't I know it.. Now if only my _parents_ could realize that, it would save them the trouble of trying to 'fix' me."

Kisame grinned back at her, picturing what her life must be like, and the hell that her parents likely lived in, knowing that it must be like trying to teach a cat to swim. He began to speak before he heard something in the distance. "Speaking of your parents.." He said, standing. "I need to go." He glanced back at Rei, making a quick decision. He kissed her quickly, disappearing before she had time to recollect herself.

She stood, red cheeked, staring at the place Kisame had been seconds ago. Slowly, her face broke out into a giddy smile, and she laughed once, amazed at what just happened. "I'll see you soon, Kisame." She whispered, sure of it.

"Rei?" A woman's voiced called, approaching her. "Rei, where are you?"

Rei turned, composing herself. "I'm here, mom- _mother_." Her mother had insisted on the formalities..

A tall woman breathed a sigh of relief, hugging her small daughter to her, "_There_ you are! We were worried sick, the entire house was up in arms over your disappearance."

"Not to mention your little _misunderstanding_ with Godua." Her father added, frowning deeply.

Rei smiled sheepishly, shrugging. "Sorry, father, he's a jerk. What do I say?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "You say 'I do' and marry him."

Rei grimaced, repulsed at the idea of ever spending her life with an ignoramus like Godua. "I'll think about it." She said, walking back towards the house with her parents.

"Don't think, it's dangerous for a princess." Her father said, Rei appalled to realize he wasn't kidding.

Godua pushed her against the wall, kissing her deeply, Rei limply responding. This was _torture_. It was the second time he had kissed her like this, and it reminded her of why she had felt like hanging herself the _first _time. Even in _this_ field he was arrogant, not to mention boring. The same thing over and over, like a bad song. Rei pushed him away, repressing a shudder. "You know, Godua, I feel ill. Excuse me."

He released her, frowning. "Fine. Go and attend to your _illness_."

Rei ignored him, exiting the room as quickly as she could, feeling the forest so close she could almost taste it. She snatched the knapsack containing a set of her normal clothes inside, sprinting out of the house as soon as the door to Godua's room shut. She sailed through the scattered population of maids and butlers, trying to draw as little attention as she could to a sprinting princess.

"Miss Rei-"

"Don't worry, just getting the mail!" She called, waving a hand to those she left in the dust. She felt herself grinning, the addicting taste of freedom on her tongue. Rei blew through the small plot of land between her and the forest, haphazardly trampling over carefully arranged tableaus of plants and rocks, muttering quick apologies to no one in particular. She stopped as she reached the clearing she had rested in yesterday, throwing her loose red dress from her body, jumping into a long sleeved green shirt and black fitted pants, tied tight at the ankles. Tousling her short curls, she smiled, looking around at her surroundings. They screamed adventure, numerous shaded pathways, a lake to her left, what looked like a cave to her right, she felt her heart beat faster, unable to decide which way to go first. She shut her eyes, spinning quickly with a pointer finger extended. She came to a halt, feeling her head still twirling as she looked at the cave before her.

'Cave it is.' She mused, walking towards it's mouth. Kisame suddenly crossed her mind, and she felt her cheeks redden. She supposed, subconsciously, she had been hoping she would see him again, although she doubted it possible, now that she saw he wasn't waiting for her in the forest. She stepped over a fallen tree, heading towards what looked like light inside the cave. Her heart escaladed. Were there people inside? She couldn't contain herself, she needed to _know_. Running towards the opening of the cave, she suddenly realized that it was much larger than she had thought.. It looked like it went on for miles…

She stood a the mouth, seeing that it was like a _house_ inside. She smiled wonderingly, walking into the lair, looking around her with child-like awe. There was a kitchen, a living room, a-

She cried out, feeling someone grab her, pressing a knife to her throat. "Who are you, yeah?" They snarled, pressing the knife in farther. Rei struggled to get away, pressing back father into the stranger's chest.

"I- I- Rei Ibara! I'm a princess from the Ibara household!" She shut her eyes tightly, hoping to all that was good that they would let her go. The grip relaxed, the knife still pressed to her throat, nevertheless.

"Are you a ninja, un?" They asked, the voice still cold.

"N-No.. Not even close." She said, laughing once in spite of her heart crushing fear.

They released her, and Rei spun, seeing her captor. Tall and blonde, she was sure he looked like a woman from the back. Bangs covered half his face, leaving only one bright blue eye exposed. He smiled, pulling a piece of clay from his bag, playing with it in his hands. "How did you find this place, hm?"

Rei leaned against the wall, still nervous around him. "W-Well, I just sort of stumbled upon it. I like exploring." She smiled winningly, looking up at him. Her eyes widened, seeing the man's cloak. Black with red clouds… exactly like Kisame's. "U-Um, excuse me, do you know someone named 'Kisame'?"

The man looked down the hallway, seeing one of the rooms. "Yeah, he's right down there, un."

Rei nodded, her smile growing wider. She started towards the room, then stopped, twirling around to face him. "Why do you make those noises?"

The man looked at her oddly. "What noises, yeah?"

Rei paused. "Never mind."

He laughed once. "I'm Deidara." He said, prodding the clay.

Rei bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you, Deidara." She spun on her heel, walking towards Kisame's room, her stomach fluttering from excitement. She remembered when he had kissed her and felt her cheeks go red, thinking back to how her head had spun and she had felt so- _warm_. It was nothing like when she was with Godua, she just felt sick then. She stood outside his door, beginning to collecting herself- 'Aw forget it, I just want to see him.' She knocked, listening.

Silence.

"Kisame?" She whispered, wondering if he was sleeping.

Silence.

'Well.. In a situation like this, a princess would leave him sleeping- I'm not really much of a princess though, so..' She opened the door slowly, shutting it deftly behind her. She glanced over, seeing Kisame's blue form completely asleep on the bed. She crept in, standing a safe distance away, knowing he would wake up if she got too close. Looking at him now, he seemed peaceful, for the first time. When she had met him, he was composed, but certainly not peaceful. Now, he was completely tranquil, which made her smile. He was so- perfect. If she ever imagined herself meeting someone on an adventure, he would be it. He was wild, seemingly dangerous, which thrilled her beyond words, he made her heart beat as if she was running… She found herself smiling and breathed out quietly, wondering if he was going to wake-

She felt herself hit the floor, and her head spun, wondering what had happened. Something enormous had hit her, sending her down. She managed to open her eyes, seeing a mass of blue over top of her. Her face flushed red, seeing Kisame staring down incredulously. He cracked a grin, letting her up. "Rei, I didn't think I'd see you here."

She sat up dizzily, smiling widely. "Yeah, I didn't think I'd find you here, either."

Kisame sat on the floor across from her, drinking her in. In normal clothes, she looked like a forest nymph, with the leaves in her hair to boot. He smirked and reached across, pulling one out and discarding it onto the floor. Rei's cheeks pinkened, and she laughed, feeling a few more. "Oh."

Kisame loved talking to her, she was very mature in an immature way. His brow creased, wondering if that made sense. Well, to him it did. She was a wealth of information, with an expansive vocabulary to boot, although she was very childish in the sense that she said absolutely everything that was on her mind, which made him smile.

"And I'm supposed to get married in a few days, which is just awful." She said, her face falling from it's wide smile.

Kisame felt his stomach lurch, and he just managed to contain himself, furious that he had ever thought she could be his. "Married? To whom?" He said, keeping an even tone, even grinning a bit.

Rei sighed, groaning. "He's an ignoramus, someone my family set me up with in hopes to 'expand my horizons!' but really, it would just make them rich if we married. His name's Godua."

Kisame relaxed slightly, secretly celebrating the fact that she disliked him. "Then why marry him?"

Rei looked up at him, "You're kidding, right? From the minute I was born a princess, I might as well have signed away all of my free will. When you're a figurehead, you don't exactly get to make _choices_."

Kisame nodded, feeling pity for this little thing. He watched her face fall, and she played with one of the leaves from her hair, seeing her frowning. Out of all the people to be born a princess, she was the poorest choice. Getting a first glimpse into her thoughts, he realized she must be tortured with her position. It must be like trying to cage a wild bird, he thought.

"Well, kid, _are_ you going to marry him?"

Rei smiled sadly. "Yeah.. I guess so- although I'm _not_ having sex with him." She crossed her arms.

Kisame's laughter filled the room, loving this girl more and more, imagining what would be an insane scene after the wedding. He composed himself, smirking. "Good luck, kid."

Rei grinned, dropping her arms. "Thanks, I'll need it. He's, like, six feet tall, but I can take him." She said, raising a fist.

Kisame shook his head, smiling. "Until your wedding comes around, you can come here. We wont treat you like a princess in this place."

Rei's grin grew wider, nearly touching her ears. "I'd like that. My house is driving me up the walls."

After a few more minutes, they made their way out, and Rei met the few Akatsuki members that were home. One of which was Deidara, who she learned was actually an artist. She leaned in to see his hand, fascinated. A mouth rested in the middle of his palm, chewing the clay Deidara had put in it. "And you'll see in just a second, un…" The hand-mouth spat out a beautifully intricate bird sculpture, seemingly captured in mid flight.

Rei's eyes lit up, "That's so cool!" She said, touching his palm.

"Tobi wants to say hi to the princess too!" A man called, suddenly hugging Rei, lifting her off the ground. She laughed, hugging him around his neck.

"Hi!" He cried, twirling her. "Tobi is Tobi!"

Rei landed on her feet, slightly dizzy. "I'm Rei!" She said, smiling up at his masked face.

She was on cloud nine, these were _real _people. People that actually _held _her interest, not just the boring royalty types. It was like everything she had been wishing for suddenly came true.

"Kisame, who else lives here?"

Kisame steadied her teetering form, "There's Hidan, Kakuzu, Zetsu, Itachi, Konan, and Pein, who's the leader." He watched Rei's face light up.

"So, there's _more_?" She asked, beaming.

Kisame found himself smiling as well. "Yeah, there's more alright."

Rei lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, still smiling. She was almost unable to believe her luck in that she had not only found Kisame again, but found an entire collection of fascinating people. And he had kissed her again. She blushed, grinning. Right before she had left to return home, he had kissed her briefly before sending her on her way, and she had left with that warm, fluttery feeling she got when he did that last time. She pulled her blankets up to her chin, laying on her side. She was definitely going back tomorrow.

"Miss Rei, please wake up, we need to see if this dress fits."

Rei opened a sleepy eye, seeing several of her housemaids standing by her bed, a long, white dress in hand. "Huh?" She asked, rubbing her eyes, sitting groggily.

Another maid gently pulled her from her bed, standing her in the middle of her room. "We need to fit this dress, dear." She said, pulling Rei's shirt over her head.

"Oh. Okay." So this meant she would have to wait a while to get to the cave, today…

She stood still, letting the women around her do what they needed, figuring she could get out of her faster if she didn't struggle. Her heart fell a bit, knowing she would have to face her parents about running away. _Again._ She sighed inwardly, knowing that they wouldn't be pleased with her.

"Miss Rei? What do you think?"

Rei turned to the long mirror, shocked. A long, white dress hung over her, making her look her age. The top was lace, curving in at the chest and waist, then billowing out until it hit the floor. Long, thin sleeves ran down her arms, hanging loosely at her wrists. She supposed it was beautiful, although it lost it's value to her, knowing she was getting married to the wrong person. "It's- good. Thank you, it looks great." She said quietly.

They slid the dress over her, leaving her to herself. Rei sat on the floor in her underwear, limp. She really couldn't get married to Godua, it seemed like a bad joke. They couldn't be more _wrong_ together, and it seemed like he knew it as well, although went along with it anyways in hopes of 'getting laid' as he had so delicately put it to one of his friends. Rei had been appalled, feeling sick to her stomach. She really, really couldn't do this. Rei pulled herself up, forcing herself to get dressed, knowing Godua would show up soon, and she did _not_ want to be there when he did. She slipped a yellow shirt over herself, pulling navy blue pants over her short legs, smiling weakly as it reminded her of Kisame's hair. She looked up at her door, listening intently for approaching footsteps. None.

She ran to the door silently, sprinting through the hallway, pressing herself against the wall. She carefully checked around the corner, making sure the coast was clear. She ducked out of hiding, seeing the door in plain sight. She grinned, running, throwing it open- and nearly plowing into Godua, who stood on the doorstep, as if he was waiting for her. His gold hair was illuminated in the light, he looked like a candle, Rei noticed. "Oh- hi Godua." She said, trying to pretend as if she wasn't shooting herself at the moment.

He smiled charmingly (at least in his opinion), stepping inside, bringing Rei with him. "Good morning, Rei. Where were you off to? No, a better question would be where did you go _yesterday_, when you _left me_ in your room?"

She laughed nervously, looking the other way. "Well… I was just- getting some fresh air, if you will."

Godua didn't smile. "I don't think so. Anyways, I'm here because we need to go over the guest list for the wedding."Rei looked behind him, seeing the door, and beyond that, the forest, tantalizingly calling to her. "Um, parents, family, famous people, ok, bye!" She ran past him, throwing the door open.

"Rei! Come back here!" Godua yelled, running after her.

Rei looked over her shoulder, seeing Godua closing in on her fast. "Do it yourself!" She called. "You seem to know more about this thing than I do!"

Godua growled in frustration, seeing her begin to lose him. He picked up his pace, trying to catch the speeding girl in front of him. "You need to know who will be there so you can greet them by name!"

Rei heard his footsteps closing in, and she sprinted ahead, running as fast as her small legs could carry her, heading towards the clearing where she thought she could lose him for good. She ducked under a tree branch, smiling a bit as she heard it hit Godua in the head. "Rei, get back here!" He bellowed, nearly catching her.

"Leave me alone!" She cried, dodging his arm and running left, towards the river. She glanced back, seeing Godua dressed in fancy, white clothing, looking almost like a military officer. She grinned, glad she was dressed in her real clothes. She jumped into the lake, swimming across it easily, pulling her soaking form onto the shore ten feet across. She smiled back at him sardonically, waving a goodbye.

Godua looked at her, then at the thin lake in front of him. He smirked, stepping back. Rei's eyes widened, realizing he could jump across. She turned, beginning to run towards one of the shaded paths, hearing him land a few feet behind her. "Rei!" He cried, tackling her to the ground. He pinned her down, panting, easily restraining her.

She struggled underneath him, weighed down by he wet clothes, unable to bear the idea of being underneath him like this. "Get off of me!" She growled, trying to push him away, feelings for him completely exposed.

Godua frowned, holding fast. "That's no way to talk to your-"

"'Future husband'! Yeah, I know, Godua, you've told me a thousand times. Now, let go of me, please, and just leave me-"

He kissed her deeply, ignoring Rei's muffled protests. He pulled back, seeing her furious, frightened face. "Godua, get-"

"-Off of her." A voice growled from behind her. She glanced back, seeing Kisame standing right above her.

She laughed once, relieved. "Kisame!" She trilled, forgetting Godua, who still knelt over her. Godua stood, staring Kisame in the face, having to look up to meet his eyes. "And who are you?" He asked contemptuously, crossing his arms, blue eyes looking at the man with distaste.

Kisame helped Rei to her feet, standing her up, sapping the excess water from her with a quick jutsu. "A friend of hers." He said easily, seeing Rei's smile grow.

Godua sniffed, taking Rei's hand. "Well, she's my fiancé, so I suggest you keep your distance from her, less you want my guards to deal with you."

Rei rolled her eyes, beginning to pull her hand from Godua's. "Oh _please_, Godua, he's not going to hurt me."

Godua looked up at Kisame, frowning. "Rei, don't you know who this man is? He's a part of the Akatsuki."

She stopped cold. "The Akatsuki? I-" She saw Kisame, and was suddenly frightened. "Kisame, is this true?"

He looked at her, guilt lacing the edges of his expression. "I would have told you, I was just-"

"Just what?" Rei asked, still shocked. She stepped in to him, standing close, despite her growing fear for this man, now made criminal. "Why _didn't _you tell me?"

Kisame smiled sadly, looking down at the small girl. "I didn't want to lose you, yet."

She felt her heart swell, and she suddenly couldn't breathe. She felt so- conflicted, it felt strange, she didn't usually feel this way. She wanted to continue to be with him so badly, she had never felt so _human_ as when she was with him, but she had heard such awful things from others about the Akatsuki that she wondered if they were worth trusting. But he had been afraid to lose her, that hit home. Knowing that he wanted her.. She clenched her jaw, unable to make a decision, feeling aggravated tears begin to set in.

Godua looked at her oddly, "You're not actually considering this, right? Rei, he's a criminal-"

"Shut up!" She cried. "I'm thinking."

Godua gaped. "We're going home." He said, dragging her away from Kisame.

Rei looked up at Kisame's face, seeing the pain that rested there. She felt a tear slip out, and she blinked them away, refusing to cry. "I'm sorry, Kisame." She whispered, turning away from him. She walked alongside Godua, still refusing to touch him, but walking willingly with him nevertheless.

Kisame watched her go, knowing that it never could have lasted. 'She's a princess, after all. And I'm..' He looked down, unable to dwell on it for much longer. He dragged himself back to the lair, wondering how he was going to spend his days from now on. It was funny, he was perfectly content with just sleeping or spending the day in the forest, but now that he had spent a day with Rei, all of the other options seemed so bleak and gray in comparison. Trudging through the forest, he wondered how Rei was going to live, knowing that she truly didn't like her fiancé, or her life in general. He smiled remembering the way he had found her. Dirty dress and leaves stuck into her hair, happy as a clam. She had never seemed more beautiful, that awed, inviting expression soaring across her face as she saw him for the first time, polar opposite to what he usually got. Scared, afraid, wary, it tired him, seeing that so many people got so easily caught up on something like the color of his skin or his size. Rei had been so refreshing- it hurt him now, seeing her go. He glanced back, unable to see her retreating figure anymore. Kisame walked into the lair, forlorn and defeated, sitting at the kitchen table. Deidara looked over at him, seeing the depressed look on his face. He sat across from Kisame, absentmindedly playing with his clay. "Trouble yeah?" He finally asked, not glancing up from his art.

Kisame looked at him, silent. "Yes." He finally pushed out, unwilling to tell Deidara about his personal problems.

Deidara nodded, shaping the head of a dog into the clay. "Rei, hm?"

Kisame growled, reminding Deidara of who he was talking to.

"I'll take that as a yes, yeah." He said, molding a leg.

Kisame sighed gruffly, resting an elbow on the table. "She found out who we were."

Deidara looked up at him, "You mean, that you're an Akatsuki member, un?"

Kisame was silent, watching Deidara sculpt. He finished the sculpture, setting the perfectly made dog onto the table to dry. Deidara made eye contact with Kisame, smiling. "Go to her and work all this out, I bet she'd talk to you if you were willing, she seemed like the curious type, hm. She probably was told a bunch of lies about the Akatsuki by her parents, you know how the royalty types are, un."Kisame looked at the wall, wondering how it came to be that he was listening to Deidara's advice, let alone talking to him about personal matters. "We'll see." He said, standing, walking into his room and shutting the door behind him.

Rei sat beside Godua, staring at the wall across from her. God she had been so stupid. Her one opportunity at something great, gone. No, not gone. Thrown away. She had actually _thrown away_ her chance at something other than monotonous royal life, she could have been happy. Yes, it just so happened that the man she had fallen in love with was twice her height and weight, ten or eleven years older than her, and turned out to be one of the most dangerous criminals in the country. Somehow, though, it didn't matter to her anymore. In the moment, it had shocked her, and she had a serious lapse of judgment, but now, she did nothing but regret not taking Kisame's hand and walking away with him. He had been so kind to her, had treated her like a _person_, not a princess. She found herself oddly at home with the fact that he was an S-ranked criminal, she didn't _care_ anymore. Right now, all she wanted was to be sitting across from him, talking about nothing in particular, seeing him smile. She sighed, wanting it terribly badly. Godua looked over to her, pen still running through the check boxes on the guest list. He frowned, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "He would have killed you, you know." He said, looking back onto the list.

Rei blinked, glaring at him. "Godua, that's ridiculous. He's a good man."

He snorted, still attending to the list. "Any man that kills people for a living can't be good."

"Well, he must be killing them for a _reason_, maybe it's for the same reason that _our _ninja kill others, it's what they think is right."

Godua looked at her. "It's not right."

Rei felt her temper begin to rise. "How do you know?"

"I just kno-""How do you know?" She cried, shaking slightly.

They stared at each other for a moment, each trying to make the other look away first.

Rei's mother looked in, wearing her crown. "Is everything all right in here?"

Rei smiled, masking her fury. "Yes, mother, everything's peachy."

The queen nodded, retreating back from the thick-aired room. Rei breathed out, standing up from the table. "I think I need to sleep." She said, walking away from him.

Godua watched her go. "It's only three o'clock." He said.

Rei looked back at him. He was handsome, she supposed, high cheekbones, blue eyes, blonde hair, he would make the other women she was forced to befriend swoon. Even with his graceful beauty, she found him growing uglier and uglier to him, as she truly began to hate him. "I know." She turned on her heel and left, walking out, unable to stand him any longer.

She locked the door to her room, confining herself. Really, she didn't want to speak to anyone in this house, least of all Godua. She kicked off her shoes, the flat soles beginning to wear away from age, and fell into bed, curling under the blankets, feeling sleep flutter over her.

"Rei." A voice said, echoing through her retreating dream.

"It's too early.." She moaned, turning over.

A hand shook her briskly, and she woke, wondering who on earth in this house would shake her awake. She turned over, seeing Kisame's face hovering over hers. She felt her cheeks light up, and she sat swiftly, seeing Kisame pull away, sitting on his haunches next to her bed. "Kisame.." She breathed, feeling her mouth curve into a smile.

He smirked in return, knowing that Deidara was right about her. "Hey, kid." He said, feeling two arms hug him tightly.

"Kisame, I don't care if you're a criminal, I'm sorry I ran away." She said quietly, slightly muffled by his chest. He hugged her back, pulling the small girl from the bed. She sat in his lap, resting her head against his chest, glancing at the window. It was dark, the moon completely visible, it must be at least eleven at night, she had read about using the moon as a clock in a book. "How'd you get in here, anyways? We've got these guards out front, they're pesky but thorough. How did you get past them?"

Kisame grinned, illuminated by the moon. "I'm a professional at this stuff, remember?"

Rei smiled, leaning her head back against his chest. "Oh yeah." She thought for a moment, fiddling with a piece of string she had found on the floor. "I'm getting married tomorrow."

Kisame glanced down at her. "Tomorrow?.. I'm sorry."

Rei smiled sadly, hugging him again. "Me too." She pulled away, looking him in the face. "I love you, Kisame." She said suddenly, wanting him to know before she said "I do" to someone else.

Kisame held her, knowing that the next night she would be in the arms of Godua, whether she liked it or not. "I love you too, kid." He kissed her, and felt Rei respond, pulling him closer to her. This was different, it wasn't rushed or last minute like the other two times, it was _real_. Kisame pulled her to the floor, hovering over her, a knee on either side of her waist. Rei felt her heart beat in her ears, feeling the thrill of adrenaline in her system as Kisame kissed her deeply. She pulled herself closer, and Kisame tangled a hand into her black hair, twisting the curls that covered her head. Her heart was in her throat, and she felt blazing hot, shocked to know that for the first time, she actually _wanted_ someone. Her stomach twisted over and over underneath Kisame, nervous tension sending it for a rollercoaster ride.

Kisame released her, holding himself over her, a hand on either side of her head. Rei looked up at him, dizzy. It hurt, knowing that he could never have her. He knew that she was Godua's even if she hated the fact, and that it would be wrong, even dangerous, to take her now. No matter how badly it hurt, he could never call Rei 'his'. He stood, pulling her up with him, "I have to go now, Rei. It's been nice knowing you."

She felt tears begin to pool in her eyes. "It's been nice knowing you too, Kisame. I wont forget about you."

Kisame kissed her brow, wondering if it would be the last time he ever saw her. Rei broke down, hugging him tightly, crying quietly into his neck as he held her shaking form above the floor, gripping her tightly. "Goodbye.." She managed to say, letting him put her down. She wiped her eyes swiftly, hating to cry in front of him.

Kisame looked at her steadily, finding this harder than he imagined, especially the knowledge that she still loved him weighing down on his shoulders. He ducked out the open window, shutting it soundly behind him. Rei watched the open window for a few seconds before collapsing onto her bed, feeling too weak to do anything except lay in silence on top of her blankets. In minutes she was asleep, knowing what tomorrow held for her.

"Miss Rei?"

She turned, seeing an entourage of housemaids standing by her bed. "I know, I know, wedding." She mumbled, standing by her bed. The one who had spoken smiled, pulling off Rei's clothes from the day before, pulling her towards the bath. "Don't worry, Miss Rei, everything will go fine."She smiled, "Oh, joy."

They bathed her, dried her and stood her in the center of her room, dressing her quickly and efficiently. Glancing at her clock, Rei realized it was already six at night. "How late did I sleep?" She asked.

"Until three, Miss Rei." The maid answered, smoothing the dress over her small, flat chest. "Were you exerting yourself yesterday?" She asked politely, having heard of her escape.

Rei smiled secretively. "Yeah, I guess."

Another maid came to her side, weaving small white flowers into her hair with mechanical precision, a third maid painting her lips a more exaggerated hue of their previously pale peach color, then giving her pale cheeks color. After another twenty minutes, they finally released her, allowing her to step forward, seeing herself in the mirror.

Rei did a double take, shocked that it was actually _her_ in the mirror. She looked- _feminine_, which was a huge change. Her eyes seemed brighter due to the color now in her face, and her black hair was peppered with tiny white flowers, standing out like snowflakes. Her dress fit her perfectly, clutching her waist and billowing out at her hips. Now she actually _looked _seventeen. The maids wove the veil into her hair, then pulled her away, walking her down the hall towards their expansive backyard, where, while she slept, the remaining house people had set up the enormous wedding plaza including a giant house, where she assumed the people were. Rei's eye brows shot up as she saw the scene, looking inside the house to see people everywhere, sitting, chatting, waiting for _her_. The sun was beginning to set, and she watched a few of the butlers closed the makeshift house's doors, switching on the lights above the alter, where she supposed she would be standing on soon.

She looked out on the display. It was beautiful, it really was, but it seemed so- _empty_. How many of these people did she actually know? Was she really about to marry someone she didn't want to spend a second with, let alone her whole _life_? She felt frustrated tears begin to set in, and she blinked, holding her head up higher. Yes, she was. And she wasn't going to cry about it. She would grin and bear it, that's what a princess was supposed to do, right? Smile and wave, pretend as is everything was fine. She started forward, seeing her father standing there, arm outstretched. She linked hers through it, feeling her heart begin to break. She gritted her teeth, hearing the music begin to play. She held her breath to prevent from crying, walking rigidly down the aisle, looking straight ahead. Rei breathed deeply, knowing that her fun would only last so long. She had to come out of the forest one day, it wasn't the rightful place for a princess. She clenched her fist, feeling her short nails digging into her palms, trying so hard not to cry.

She found herself standing at the alter, jaw clenched, fists balled, she was stiff, smiling weakly at Godua, who currently stood next in a white suit, adorned with multiple badges from who knows where. He glanced over at her, seeing her stressed state. He glared, making her straighten slightly.

"Dearly beloved-"

'How ironic.' Rei thought bitterly.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of these two young people."

Rei shut her eyes, trying to breathe, picturing herself next to Kisame, sitting on the floor in his room, having more fun than she had in her whole life just talking to him. She found herself smiling, tears edging her eyes. She blinked, trying to compose herself- and when he had kissed her last night, she had seen stars. She bit her lip, shutting her eyes tightly, repressing the tears as hard as she could. The priest looked at her oddly, continuing on.

She held her breath, wanting, more than anything, more than her own life, just to kiss Kisame one last time before she-

"Miss Rei, do you take Godua to be your lawfully wedded husband?"She opened her eyes, seeing the priest, Godua, everyone looking at her expectantly. "I- I-" She couldn't say it, she paused, trying to collect herself. She glanced around, all eyes on her, staring as if she was doing a handstand. "I-" Godua looked at her incredulously, obviously furious.

"Rei, say 'I do'." He hissed, seconds away from kicking her.

She opened her mouth to speak-

Suddenly, she heard a crash, and saw three figures breaking through the wall, sprinting into the scene. She laughed once in disbelief, seeing Kisame, Deidara, and Tobi standing before her, dressed in their Akatsuki robes.

Cries of fear and anger surfaced from the crowd, several of the employed ninjas stood, ready for a fight. The priest stepped back, dropping his book as he headed towards the door. Godua looked in shock at the three men, trying to grab Rei. She broke away from him, sprinting to Kisame, jumping into his arms, shaking. "Kisame!" She cried, hugging him tightly.

Her father rose, outraged. "Rei, what is the meaning of this?" He yelled, starting towards the four, uncaring of their affiliation or Kisame's enormous, intimidating demeanor.

Rei grinned. "This is Kisame, the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, Dad."

He seemed to go limp, staring. "_This_-! Rei, what are you thinking, you're a _princess_ for goodness sakes! And he's- a criminal!"

Rei smiled sadly, "I didn't think you'd understand, Dad."

Some of the ninja rushed at the four, Deidara and Tobi looked at each other, then to the ninja, beginning to fend them off of the couple standing before the king. Her father looked at her incredulously, almost sadly. He touched her face, looking, for the first time, like a father. "I don't, but I love you, so much, Rei. Don't do this to your mother and I, you're all we have."

She laughed once through her nose. "Sorry, but if you really cared that much, you would have listened to me when I told you I didn't want to marry him." She pointed to Godua, who recoiled angrily, and began to walk towards the scene.

"Rei, you're my wife. Get away from him and come to me this instant." He hissed, pointing to the spot beside him.

Rei wagged a finger. "Technically, I'm still your fiancé. And take this, too, please." She tossed him the wedding ring, satisfied to have it off of her finger for good. "I'm calling this engagement off." She turned to Kisame, tearing off her veil and throwing it to the wind, grinning. "Let's go."

He smirked, seeing everyone's shocked, silent faces. "I'll take care of your daughter." He said, turning. He sprinted forward, ducking out of the hole in the wall. Deidara and Tobi looked out on the scene, a priest in hiding, Godua seething angrily over the ring, the king and queen looking numbly at the vanished figures of Kisame and Rei, the rest of the crowd staring at the two. They glanced at the other, then simultaneously ran from the people, racing after Kisame and Rei, her white wedding train the only distinguishing characteristic of the distant speck.

Kisame sprinted through the forest, feeling Rei's head lay against his thrumming chest. She smiled dreamily, still unsure if this was actually happening. _Free_. She was finally _free_. From everything, her ties as a princess, her parents, Godua, the public, she could finally be _Rei_. He slowed, walking through the cave's entrance to the kitchen setting her down gently onto the floor. Rei kicked her shoes off, hugging Kisame tightly. "Thank you." She said, feeling light as air.

Kisame held the small thing, amazed that she really _was_ his, now. "Not a problem, kiddo." It had all happened so fast, one second he was sitting in his room, agonizing over her, and the next, he, Deidara and Tobi were running through the forest, on a mission to get Rei back. She kissed him lightly, stepping back. "Here's an odd question, do you have any extra clothes that would fit me?"

Kisame grinned, kissing her again. "I think I can find some."

He disappeared, leaving Rei in the kitchen to think. Now that she was here, what would she do next? She was still contemplating that tattoo… She shook the flowers out of her hair, relieved to finally be a kid again. She took an unused napkin, wiping the paint off her lips, hating the taste of it. She sat down again, feeling heavy in her dress, rolling the sleeves up so she could function. She leaned back, relaxing when Kisame was suddenly standing beside her, extra clothes in hand. "I found these, tell me if they fit." He gave them to her, allowing her to duck by him to don them. Rei walked through Kisame's room, smiling to herself, remembering that one day where she had thrived here, letting the real Rei shine through for a moment. She dropped the dress, feeling as if a weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Granted, she wasn't very strong, but these dresses were so _heavy_.. Although, she supposed that with the dress, her responsibilities also fell of her shoulders with that dress, knowing now that she could be Rei now, no longer confined to be 'Princess Ibara'. She pulled the black ninja pants up, using the ties to cinch them at the ankles. She picked up the yellow sweater, wondering if it would fit. She hoped it did, it looked wonderful, it even had leather elbow pads for when she crawled through thickets and the dirt. She slipped it on, seeing that it hung perfectly on her small, thin frame, and sighed in relief. She stepped out, holding her white dress. "Thank you, they fit great. What do I do with.." She motioned to the dress in her hands, uneasily holding it out from her, unsure as to what to do with it.

Kisame looked at the dress. "We can put it in a closet.." He wasn't exactly sure where to put it either. He took it, setting it on a shelf in a storage cupboard, grinning as he closed it, taking Rei into his arms. "You drove me half-crazy, kid." He said, running his thumb over her high cheekbone, making her cheeks turn pink.

"H-How so?" She stammered, feeling faint.

Kisame smirked, feeling her grow weak. "I didn't want to lose you."

Rei felt her heart burst, and she kissed him, pulling him down to her height. She felt him smile, and he snaked an arm around the small of her back, the other pulling her head closer to his.

Deidara stepped into the room, seeing the two. He froze, then backpedaled, pulling Tobi with him. "Hey, Tobi, let's go for a walk, ok?""Tobi doesn't want to go for a walk." He said, crossing his arms.

Deidara glared at him. "Deal with it." He pulled Tobi along, heading out into the forest, away from the two.

Kisame pulled Rei off the floor, kissing her deeply as he walked the two of them into his room. Rei's head spun, and her knees were completely weak as he set her on the floor, kissing her again. He pulled her tighter, feeling Rei's heart beating dangerously fast, and pushed her up against the wall, feeling her gasp.

He grinned, running a hand over her back when he heard Deidara's voice on the other side of the door. "Hey, Kisame, don't look now, but Leader just walked in, and he wants to see you. He knows about Rei, too."

Kisame sighed, leaning back from the red-faced Rei. "How does he know so soon?" She asked, un-mussing her hair.

Kisame looked back, "He's just that good." Rei grinned, lacing her hand into his. "Huh. That's a little scary if you think about it."

Kisame met Deidara outside, nodding to him before they walked to Pein's office. Rei nervously stood outside the door, wondering what exactly this ruthless leader of the Akatsuki was like. Was he nice, in a scary sort of way? Did he hate girls, therefore she was only one of two here? Did he have a jar of snake fetuses on his desk? She shivered at that last thought. Kisame looked down at her oddly. "Don't show your fear." He said, pulling them forward.

Rei walked in hesitantly, glancing around the office. Luckily there weren't any sinister decorations, it was rather plain, in fact. A desk sat in the middle of the room, a man sitting in the shadows behind it.

"Leader-Sama, you wished to see us?"

The man stood, and Rei was suddenly thankful for having to keep her composure so much. Tall, a shock of orange hair, and piercings that peppered his face, he was a sight for the eyes, for certain. Rei managed not to stare, looking up at the ceiling, seeing a few cracks. Well, then again, it _was_ a cave..

"This is the princess?" The Leader, Pein, asked, stepping towards Rei. "What purpose does she serve?"

Rei looked at him, enchanted by his deep purple eyes, rings surrounding the pupils. "Well, I like to read books and explore…?"

Kisame saw Pein's eyes narrow at her, and he stepped in quickly. "What she meant to say was that she would be an effective scout, along with a plausible specialist for missions."

Pein looked at him coldly. "Isn't that supposed to be _your_ job, Kisame? Knowing all of those things?"

Kisame stood his ground, refusing to lose her. "Another-"

"What if I was used as a hostage?" Rei said suddenly. "I _am_ a well known princess, after all, so why not use me as a hostage in certain situations? Another idea is that I could act as a civilian whenever we needed to get into a wary village, therefore minimizing the suspicion by having a small girl aboard, acting as an heiress or a princess, or something like that…"

Pein and Kisame looked down at her, each showing a hint of surprise. Rei noticed them staring and smiled winningly. "Just an idea.."

Pein seemed to think briefly, then turned to Kisame. "Fine. This will be a test run, then, go to the Mist village and destroy the warlord Madei."

Rei blinked, shocked that it actually worked.

"Yes, Leader-Sama." Kisame said, bowing and heading towards the door.

Rei bowed shakily, dashing after him. "He's terrifying.." She whispered, afraid he could still hear her.

Kisame grinned down at her. "You don't know the half of it."

"So let us pass, or the girl dies." Kisame held the knife to her throat, and Rei feigned terror. It was going smashingly, it was amazing what people were willing to do when a tiny girl was in danger. This had been routine for them for a few weeks, and it got better and better with practice, once they were completely comfortable working around each other in this context. Pein had come to accept that, even if he didn't let Rei stay, she would have still spent her time in the Akatsuki lair, Kisame would have made sure of that. So, grudgingly, Pein set Rei's room across the hall from Kisame's, allowing her to stay as a part of the Akatsuki. Rei smiled inwardly, wondering how on earth she had gone from princess to Akatsuki member in just three weeks. Kisame still made her heart beat and stomach flutter whenever he kissed her, and she wondered if that would ever go away. She hoped not. She remembered, the night after her wedding, he had almost taken her on the floor of her room, when he seemed to have realized what he was doing.

She wondered why he had stopped. She supposed it was for her, seeing as she had nearly been shaking, scared out of her mind at the idea of doing something like that. He had managed to restrain himself- just barely, but enough to apologize and set her onto her bed, kissing her brow goodnight. He had left her in her bed, mind spinning and red faced… She suppressed a blush at the memory, keeping the frightened façade going.

"Alright, fine. Go!" The man said angrily, watching the Kisame carry Rei out, knife still resting on her perfectly pale throat. He turned to them, smirking terribly. "Thank you."The men looked at Rei pitifully, fearing the worst for her. She looked up at them, wide-eyed terror spread across her face. Kisame turned, walking off into the moonlit forest, carrying stolen scrolls. Once he was sure they weren't following him, he set her down. "That was brilliant, as usual." He said, grinning at her.

Rei's cheeks reddened, laughing. "It went pretty well, huh? Thanks to you, too, Kisame."

He smirked, pulling her to him. "Any time." Without a thought, he kissed her deeply, feeling her weaken in his arms. He tipped her over, sending her into the lush grass underneath her, and fell over her, supporting himself with his arms. His muscles rippled as he tried to control himself, struggling to do so. Rei's fingertips ghosted over the side of his face, and she let her eyes fall closed. "Kisame.." She breathed, feeling him tense.

"You're driving me crazy, kid." He growled, barely keeping control.

Rei smiled lightly, running a hand through his hair as she pulled away, looking up at him from the ground. She traced the outline of one of his gills, laughing once. "Good."

He watched her face, completely serene, as she touched his gills, looking like a vision. Pale, strikingly green eyes, curly, short black hair, pink cheeks, peach lips, she was perfect, unlike any other girl he had ever seen before. The shocking part was that she wanted _him_. He had seen her fiancé, and he knew that he was handsome. So why, then, would someone like her want someone like him?

He looked down at her, tiny, gossamer hands dancing over his cheekbone, making him have to tense himself. "Rei, why did you come away with me?"She met his eyes, beaming. "Because I love you."He smirked. "Why? I'm not beautiful like Godua."Rei smiled knowingly. "Yes you are. You're interesting and _different_, you don't care what anyone else thinks of you, which _makes_ you beautiful. Godua was so _self_-_important_, he was _vain _and _haughty_- not to mention _boring_. Besides, Kisame, you've got a handsome face, you know, just as nice as Godua's-"

Kisame cut her off, kissing her again, feeling his hard heart begin to break for her. "Thanks, kid. You're not bad yourself."

Rei laughed lightly, kissing him back. She felt his hand on her back, pulling her sweater over her head. She shifted out of it, letting him pull it off. She felt dizzy, wondering what was going to happen next, thinking that she might know, and scared if she was right. Throwing caution to the wind, she shifted his cloak off his shoulders, pulling up at his shirt, wondering where this tenacity had come from. She felt him smirk, throwing the shirt over to the growing pile of clothing. Rei threw a hand over her chest, red from the neck up. Kisame pulled her hand away gently, holding it in his. "Don't worry about it." He murmured, kissing her again. She pulled away, visibly making a decision. She took a deep breath, unbuttoning the top of her pants, finger shaking as she did. She glanced up at him and felt a breeze, seeing her pants flying over to the pile, Kisame's in close quarters. And suddenly, they were bare on the forest floor, complete silence surrounded them, save for the occasional twitter of a bird.

Rei looked up at him, suddenly completely calm, knowing that there was no going back. She smiled lightly, running a hand through his hair, marveling at the softness of it, never taking the time to appreciate its texture before now. Kisame held her to him, looking down at his small, untouched girl, knowing she could only be pure for so long. He smiled, kissing her smoothly, finally taking her.

Rei half-woke in the grass next to him, her head resting on his broad chest. She draped a thin arm over him, pulling herself closer, exhausted. "Kisame.." She whispered, beginning to fall asleep once more, before she realized where she was. She sat up, cringing at the blinding pain in her lower region, nevertheless seeing them both laying in the middle of the forest, completely bare.

"I- Oh." She fumbled out, falling back, unable to move. "Ow.."

Kisame sat up beside her, pulling his clothes on smoothly. "What's the matter, kiddo?"

Rei looked up at him, feeling the pain slowly ebbing away now that she was still. "What do you think?"

He knelt beside her, dressed, smirking. "I see." He sat beside her, pulling her clothes to her. Rei slipped the sweater over her head, still laying flat in the grass, and managed to slide the pants over her, trying to keep her waist from moving too much. Kisame pulled her to her feet, setting her lightly on the ground, feeling her grab onto his arm for support. He linked an arm around her, walking back towards the lair. Rei grinned, thinking back to the previous night, amazed that she really did something like that. Between Godua and Kisame, she was so glad that it was Kisame. She pressed into him, feeling the pain begin to slowly subside, just glad to be next to him.

"Rei?" Deidara asked, pushing open the door to her room. She sat up, looking up from the book she had been absorbed in, smiling. "Yeah?" It had been a year since she had met Kisame, and she couldn't believe that she might have actually gone through with marrying Godua. Since she had met Kisame, her life had been so _exciting, enthralling_. It was hard to imagine life without-

"I'm so sorry, un.." Deidara said, looking her in the eyes.

Rei froze, dropping the book from her hands, unable to hear it thump onto the floor in a loud, brief whack. Silence hung in the air like winter fog. "What- What are you saying?" She said, her stomach growing ice cold. Kisame had left for a mission yesterday.

Deidara walked slowly to her, kneeling down to eye level with the small girl, now frozen with fear. He smiled sadly, taking her hands into his, wondering how she was going to survive without Kisame. He reached into his pocket, pulling a wooden box with her name on it.

"We found this in his robes, it was addressed to you, yeah."

Rei took it from him, hands shaking. She forced herself to look at it, seeing a note lying atop. "To Rei." Was all it said, and she took it, setting the paper onto the bed. She lifted the lid off of the box, and felt tears trickle down her face, seeing it's contents. A small, diamond ring rested in the bottom, shining iridescently in the light. "God-" She couldn't speak, she bit her lip, feeling the tears coursing down her face like tiny rivers.

Deidara saw the ring and felt his throat tighten, he clenched his jaw, feeling his heart sink. "He- loved you very much, Rei, yeah." Deidara said. He took her into his arms, feeling her body racked with sobs. He petted her head, feeling a tear in his own eye. "I remember, on your wedding day, he was so touchy, he was like a ticking time bomb, hm." He laughed once at the memory. "He shut himself up inside his room all day, he wouldn't even come out to eat, un. When we told him about a possible plan to crash the wedding, it was the first time he smiled all day, yeah! He sprinted out the door, we didn't even have a real idea of what we were doing, yet, un!"

Rei laughed weakly, holding Deidara close to her. "Yeah, that sounds like Kisame, alright." She managed to push out, falling back into tears. Deidara suppressed tears, hugging her tightly.

"And when you came home with him-" He had to compose himself. "He was happier than he had ever been."

Rei sobbed once, shaking.

Deidara cradled her, sitting on the floor with her head buried into his robes. "Rei, Kisame would hate to see you like this, now, hm. Please don't cry, yeah.."

Rei looked up at him, her pale face streaked with tears. "I- I know. I just can't believe-" She fell silent, biting her lip. "I just can't believe that he's gone." She finally whispered, standing.

Deidara smiled sadly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know that he'd never leave you without a fight. You meant the world to him." He left her to herself, and she sank to the bed, holding the bow in her hands, staring down at the diamond ring. They had always joked that they were going to have a wedding ceremony of their own, just the final nail in the coffin. She smiled weakly, sliding the ring over her finger. Of _course _it fit… She clenched her fists, repressing a fresh wave of tears. She wouldn't cry anymore, she decided, she was going to work alongside Deidara, and fight for Kisame.

Rei finally stood, walking out of her room to Deidara. "Thank you." She said, nodding to him.

Deidara nodded in return, smiling slightly. He watched her leave, sighing. She had changed so much in this past year, Kisame had really affected her. He could remember when she would dance around the kitchen, singing as she made food, Kisame watching her from the table with that peaceful, happy look, or when she would laugh, trying so hard to learn how to control water like Kisame, only succeeding in soaking both herself and him in the process. Deidara smiled, remembering how they she had sat in front of him, soaking wet, asking if he would paint with her. He had said yes, their painting still hanging in his room. It was of two small figures, her and Deidara, standing on a mountain, 'the conquerors of everything' Rei had said, beaming. He wondered how she was going to carry on without Kisame by her side, he had been everything to her. He looked around the base, frowning. Everyone around him was dying.. Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Itachi, Konan had disappeared, along with Pein, and now Kisame.. It was just him, Zetsu, Rei and Tobi left, now. He rested his head in his hands, wondering what was going to happen now that the organization was falling apart.

Rei walked through the dark forest lightly, just exploring by herself at night. It had been a week since Kisame's death, and she found herself in the forest more than usual. She supposed it was because this had been where she had first met him, the only surviving piece of Kisame left, save for the ring, which rested on her finger as she walked. She hadn't taken it off since they day he died. Rei bit her lip, feeling the same tears begin to well, and she pushed them back down, vehemently keeping her feelings jarred, having stowed them away after Deidara had told her. They had been getting closer, seeing as they were two of the four remaining Akatsuki members, now. Tobi was always away, and Zetsu was already reclusive, leaving just the two of them. He was away on some mission, not needing her help, so she walked alone through the forest, thinking. Rei stumbled over something, hitting the ground with a thud. She sat up quickly, wondering what on earth she had tripped on. 'Oh no..' She looked out, seeing a camp of ninja staring back at her, having tripped over one of their sleeping forms.

"I- I'm so sorry.." She stammered out, seeing their faces contort into anger.

One stood, smiling easily. "Hey, for a pretty lil' thing like you, I think we can forgive this." He was tall, around six two, bare-chested and dark haired. He approached her, standing in front of her, cross armed.

"Oh.. Thank you." She said, trying to smile, feeling nervous at his look.

He grinned, kneeling down to her height. "And what might your name be?"

Rei smiled, determined not to judge this man. "I'm Rei Ibara, what's yours?"

"I'm Hao, and this is Juedo and Peika."

Rei smiled, nodding to the men around her. Juedo was slightly shorter, well muscled and stocky, with a bandanna tied around his blonde hair. Peika seemed older, although he was well built, taller than Hao with light brown hair. Hao smiled at her smoothly, touching her shoulder. "What's a little thing like you doing in the forest at night?" Hao asked, motioning behind his back for Juedo and Peika to stay where they were.

Rei's face seemed to light up, "Oh, I'm just exploring. That's one of my favorite things to do!"

Hao grinned at her incredulously, wondering why this was so easy. "I see." He said, reaching out for her.

Rei's face fell, and she knew she should have gone with her gut instinct, backing away from him. "I-" She saw him advancing, and turned to run in disentrance, feeling two arms wrap around her waist, pulling her small form off of the ground. She tried to yell out but a hand snaked over her mouth, silencing her.

"Don't scream, or you're dying instantly," He hissed in her ear. "Princess Ibara."Rei looked over at him, shocked. He let go of her mouth, "How did you know-?" She asked, speechless.

Hao smirked, wrestling her to the ground. "Did you really think I wouldn't recognize you? You don't look like anyone else I've seen in the Earth country, that's for sure. Besides-" He leaned in closely to her, inches from her face. "I've always had a thing for the Princess of the Ibara household."Rei shut her eyes tightly, feeling sick to her stomach. "Well, she's not exactly interested in that sort of thing right now." She said, trying to push him away.

He grabbed her wrists, pressing them into the ground beside her head, "Oh, everyone's heard the story about your wedding day, Rei, believe me. How you ran away with that Akatsuki criminal, Kisame, in front of the whole crowd. How is he, by the way?"

Rei felt her eyes begin to tear. "I- He's-""Dead?" Hao finished, smirking. "Figures. I didn't think that bastard would last long, he _was an Akatsuki member, after all, and those are a dying breed nowadays." He said, kissing her, ignoring Rei's pretests. "That's why we're savoring this last one. The cute one that didn't really have any powers, just along for the ride, wasn't she?" He heard Jue and Peika laugh, advancing on her. _

_Rei heart beat wildly in terror, her senses clogged with fear and overwhelming sickness. She realized that she still had a knife in her pocket, previously reserved for last minute self defense. She had only used it once, and that was before Kisame came running to her rescue. She felt a sob run through her. He was gone now, and she had to finally fend for herself. She whipped the knife out of her pocket, aiming it shakily at Hao, wondering if this was going to work. He grinned, pushing the knife down effortlessly. "Easy, kid, you'll poke someone's eye out with that thing."_

_Rei looked up at him, then at the men around her, seeing that there really was no way out of this situation. She shut her eyes, releasing a shuddering breath before plunging the knife into her own chest, feeling the blinding, all consuming pain pulse through her with ever beat her dying heart took. She cried out, sinking the blade in farther, determined to die by her own hand, not by the means of some rogue ninja's bent on torture. Hao stood, disgusted. "Well, that ruins everything." He kicked her side, leaving with his three men, taking their camp with them. _

_Rei squeezed her eyes shut, feeling hot tears in the corners, her face a mixture of peace and pain. So this was what Kisame went through.. She thought, feeling light headed as oxygen grew sparse in her. _

"_What are you doing, kid?" _

_Her eyes snapped open, seeing Kisame kneeling beside her, smiling sadly. _

"_Kisame?" She breathed, reaching out to touch him. Her hand passed through him, and she realized he was no more than an apparition. She cried out in pain, feeling muscles tear as she reached her arm out. She drew it back, panting. _

_He rested a hand on her head, somehow able to touch her. "Easy, easy." He ran a hand through her curls, smiling as he picked a leaf out of her hair. "These things just have a knack for getting stuck there, huh?"Rei smiled weakly, feeling her organs begin to give out. "Y-Yeah. Funny how those things work."_

_Kisame kissed her forehead, running a hand down her face. "You shouldn't have listened to them, Rei, what were you thinking? Where was your sense?"She looked up at him, grinning sleepily. "Kisame, I fell in love and ran away with an Akatsuki criminal, completely abandoning my royal family and duties as a princess. I never had any sense to begin with."He smirked, cupping the side of her face. "And thank goodness. But look where that's gotten you. Dead and alone in the forest."Rei felt her eyes fall shut, and she smiled lightly. "It was worth it. I met you.." She felt her lungs lock up, and relaxed, breathing one last time, her easy smile still resting on her face. _

_Kisame looked down at her, realizing she was wearing her ring. He smiled, touching it gently. _

"_See you soon, kiddo." He stood, looking down on the small, perfect girl, a red blossom of blood resting over her heart. He smiled sadly, walking away from her still body. "Where are you, now?"He smiled, seeing a tiny white figure sitting in the middle of the forest clearing, the very same one that he had first met her in. She glanced over, seeing him, and smiled beautifully, standing._

"_Funny seeing you here."Kisame smirked, striding towards her. He felt awful, knowing that it was him that drove her out of her previous life, but knew that he would have done the same if it was her who had left him. He looked down at her now, still perfect, even as a spectral being. _

_She touched the side of his face, running her fingertips down the smooth, blue surface, smiling softly. "I'm Rei Ibara. I'm so glad I met you."_


End file.
